St Mirren finished top of Group H and qualified for the next round of the Viaplay Cup with a first-half blitz of Forfar Athletic at The SMiSA Stadium.
Mikael Mandron scored two goals in five early first-half minutes before Mark O'Hara and Alex Gogic added to the score in the final minutes of the half to put Stephen Robinson's men in the hat for tomorrow's last 16 draw.
Conor McMenamin made his first start at The SMiSA Stadium as he returned from injury in place of injured Charles Dunne, while Mark O'Hara returned from suspension in place of Caolan Boyd-Munce as the manager made two changes from Tuesday night's win at Cowdenbeath.
Saints hit the front on 14 minutes when Mandron was in ahead of a ruck of bodies to bullet home Ryan Strain's corner on 14 minutes.
The Frenchman scored his second of the afternoon five minutes later after a lovely bit of football from the Buddies. Strain's wonderful flick saw him burst away from a Forfar player before a neat interchange with McMenamin allowed the Australian to lay the ball on a plate for Mandron to knock into the net from six yards out.
Mikael Mandron scores his second of the afternoon after some neat play from Strain and McMenamin (Image: Allan Picken)
Strain almost turned goalscorer a few minutes later after a mazy run gave him the chance to poke just wide of the target.
Forfar tested Zach Hemming for the first time on 22 minutes after winning a free-kick on the edge of the Saints area. Josh Skelly took it but the Saints goalkeeper got two hands behind it to push away.
But it was Saints who were in control and Keanu Baccus came close to adding a third when he volleyed inches wide on 33 minutes. The Australian midfielder won a penalty kick after being fouled in the box in the final few minutes of the first-half. Captain Mark O'Hara stepped up and the skipper sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 3-0.
There was time for one more before the interval when Gogic forced home from close range in the final act of the first 45. A corner deep into the box was met by Scott Tanser who headed back across goal with Gogic getting in ahead of the Forfar defence to net.
Manager Stephen Robinson made three changes at half-time with James Bolton on for his debut in place of Gogic, while Lewis Jamieson and Toyosi Olusanya replaced Stav Nahmani and Mandron.
The Buddies could have added a fifth just four minutes into the second-half when Lewis Jamieson broke forward at speed and found McMenamin in acres of space. The Northern Irishman took a touch, but had his low shot saved by Marc McCallum who was out quickly to block.
Jamieson should have scored his first Saints goal with a little over 20 minutes of the match remaining. Tanser's cross from the left found the forward in plenty of space, but he headed wide from close range.
Four first-half goals were enough for the hosts as we go into tomorrow's last 16 draw.
Full-Time: St Mirren 4-0 Forfar Athletic
St Mirren: Hemming, Fraser, Gogic (Bolton 46), R.Taylor, Strain (Kenny 63), Baccus, O'Hara (c) (Boyd-Munce 62), Tanser, Nahmani (Jamieson 46), Mandron (Olusanya 46), McMenamin
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, Sutherland, Offord, Greive
Forfar: McCallum, Allan, Hutchison (Thomson 46), Morrison, Nditi, Robson (Paterson 62), Whatley, Brindley (Munro 75), Ross, Skelly (Watson 68), Inglis
Subs Not Used: Paris, Whyte
Referee: Matthew MacDermid
Assistant Referee: Daniel McFarlane
Assistant Referee: Graham McNeillie
Attendance: 2,380
